NYCSLS Council
Council Meeting #4
Date: March 8, 2012
Time: 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Place: Mid-Manhattan Library
Members in attendance : Linda Cuff (Chair), Andrea Vaughn (BPL), Robert Nelson (Brooklyn High Schools), Sally Young (CSA), Linda Williams-Bowie (New Visions), Arlene Dominguez (Fund for Public Schools) , Caroline Falivena (NYPL), Sarah Hinkle (Brooklyn Public Library).
SLS Office Staff in attendance : Elizabeth Naylor-Gutierrez, Lynne Kresta Smith, Leanne Ellis, Olga Nesi and Melissa Jacobs-Israel
Guests: Gregg Betheil, Executive Director, Office of School Programs and Partnerships;
Jessica Kaplan Senior Director of Strategic Planning, Office of School Programs and Partnerships

Documents at meeting: Five-Year Library System Plan of Service (POS)
Agenda
Announcements and Information:
Plan of Service Review and Discussion
• Vote to Accept
NYCSLS Updates
Projects of Council Members

Announcements and Information
Notes From the Chair
There is a change in the agenda – we are moving the approval of the POS to earlier in the agenda to accommodate members who must leave a little early; also we will vote to amend the quorum bylaw: six members who have not attended ONE meeting this year are resigned; Linda Cuff made the motion, Robert Nelson seconded.
Due to the absence of Secretary, Christine Hatami, Elizabeth Naylor-Gutierrez took minutes.

Plan of Service Review and Discussion
Plan is a broad document, need to give state only what they ask for;
The discussion focused on the following items:
  • Union catalog
  • Resource Sharing
  • Special Client Groups – ELLs, What is NYCSLS focus to support them?
  • Amended POS elements – PD “Full participation of school librarians in school and district-wide implementation of Citywide Instructional Expectation”.
  • Consulting & Development

After review, discussion and additions members voted on acceptance of the POS – For: 6, Against: 0 – carried unanimously by a quorum;
NYCSLS Updates
Lynne presented the Authentication Form for the $21,200.00 LSTA Grant for professional development materials for Council’s vote. For: 6, Against: 0 – passed unanimously.

Melissa met with the new School Library Journal editor, Rebecca Miller and she is interested in attending the Exploratorium and the Library Advisory Committee.

Gregg reported on the search for Director. There is a small pool of applicants and there are no plans to interview yet because bigger pool and “bigger” candidates are needed. The DOE is considering hiring a consulting firm to manage the search and recruit at least 10-12 viable candidates. The position is currently being advertised in EdWeek, NY Times, LM-NET and will be in School Library Journal.

Projects of Council Members

Linda Williams Bowie reported that New Vision Facilitators are working on Common Core State Standards with principals in their PSO.

Sally Young related that Forest Hills HS is encountering some problems in its attempt to hire two librarians. Gregg suggested that Sally send him an outline of the issue and he’ll see if he can get Human Resources to sort it out.

Caroline Falivena reported that their collaboration with NYCSLS on the Exploratorium on May 16th is well underway. Also there is a new exhibit Shelley’s Ghost: The Afterlife of a Poet depicting the work of Percy and Mary Shelley. The next exhibit will be Lunch NYC in June. Beginning on March 1 ‘wichcraft will operate two mobile carts serving its hand-crafted sandwiches, coffee, snacks, and other refreshments in two locations, Astor Hall and in the central corridor on the second-floor of the Schwarzman Building.

Arlene Dominguez reported that the Fund for Public Schools funded 12 Library REACH grants and co-sponsored with Target 42 Family Literacy Nights.

Sarah Hinkle related that Queens Library will sponsor a College Fair at the Langston Hughes Branch in Corona on Saturday, April 14. Also, they are supporting a free program, “Time to Know” which is being piloted in 100 NYC DOE iLearn schools.

Andrea Vaughn reported that Brooklyn Public Library recently unveiled the Espresso machine, which offers over seven million titles which can be printed out on command. It is a boon form authors seeking to self-publish. The winners of the Ezra Jack Keats picture book contest will be exhibited at BPL;

Lynne asked for help in identifying new Council members to replace the members forcibly “resigned” for non-attendance and Gregg suggested the Council contact the NYCDOE Bureau of Non-Public Schools.

Next meeting
The next Council meeting is on May 9th at the Queens Central Library at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica.
The agenda includes:

Tour of the new Children’s Library Discovery Center
Discussion of how to “regularize” Council membership
Hiring update – with a Talent Office representative invited by Gregg
Update of the NYPL pilot

Linda adjourned the meeting at 2:15 pm, Robert seconded.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Naylor-Gutierrez